More than 50,000 short-term contract school workers will go on strike Friday, demanding improvement in pay and employment status, according to the workers’ union.
Their unprecedented walkout is expected to cause disruption in school operations, especially in meal services, in which nearly 70 percent of the workers are involved.
The alliance of unionized irregular workers at elementary, middle and high schools nationwide announced Wednesday that their members overwhelmingly approved its call for the strike, after the authorities refused to negotiate with them.
More than 74 percent, or 25,175 members, participated in the vote with 91 percent in favor of the strike action, it said.
The irregular workers are calling for the same payment system as ordinary workers.
The unions also demand that the local education offices be their counterparts in collective negotiations. Most workers are currently required to renew a contract every year with each individual school, making them vulnerable to pressure by the school management.
